What is THE most difficult creature we can keep in our reef tanks?

[Tyrone]

I would say sea apples and some nudibranchs.

 

[i cant think]

About 20 years ago I had a flashing tilefish that lasted less than 24 hours. It was the most stunning fish I had ever seen. I would love to try a pair or group of them but they're way too expensive. Back then I paid $100, right now on marine collectors they're $350/ea. That's crazy!

Dang, I paid around the equivalent to $106. Would love to try hunt down one for a more specialised tank in the future though - I’ve never owned a nicer fish.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I’ve got you all beat with my mated pair of sperm whales in a pico. Moby and Mobley

blue whale in my canister filter

 

[b breef]

Not me. I've had a sperm whale going on 6 years now in my 75 gallon (not including sump)

We Must see that sump

 

[Timfish]

Lots and lots of stuff. If you look at the species we're keeping and able to keep healthy and complete an animals life cycle compared to what's found on reefs I'd guess we're at less than considerably less than 1% of what's found on reefs.

 

[surlytx]

Barnacles for sure. Would be amazing to have living barnacles in our ecosystems, but alas they always perish.

About two months ago I bought CUC and one of the cerith snails had a barnacle growing on his shell. I was totally surprised to see it was alive. It is still alive and very interesting to watch it feed. My tank is loaded with phyto and copepods as I have been working to establish a dense foundation of live phytoplankton and zooplankton. Hope this keeps the little guy going!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Barnacles for sure. Would be amazing to have living barnacles in our ecosystems, but alas they always perish.

I've heard of some successes keeping them in dedicated nps tanks

 

[Sdot]

Add Magnificent Sea Anemone aka Ritteri to the list. Doesn't ship well, doesn't acclimate well, very sensitive to changes in water chemistry, and will grow really large when happy.

See my point....

 

[Jhogge]

Sea butterfles